Senate votes down amendment barring tax cuts for 1 percent

Senate Republicans on Wednesday voted down a measure to prevent tax cuts for the top 1 percent earners, an amendment introduced by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Ron Wyden to extract a price from the GOP as it moves toward tax reform legislation.

The amendment pertained to the Senate budget that Republicans need to pass so they can proceed with a tax bill that can’t be filibustered by Democrats. It failed in a 52-46 vote, with Democrat Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota joining Republicans in voting “no.”